The United States of America has begun developing for Ukraine a new high-precision air-launched munition ERAM (Extended Range Air-to-Air Munition), capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 460 km. AviationWeek reports this.

The development of ERAM ammunition is carried out taking into account a number of strict requirements. The ammunition must have a warhead weighing about 260 kg and be capable of high-explosive fragmentation and penetrating effects, which makes it versatile and effective in various combat situations.

The speed of the ammunition must exceed 735 km/h (or 204 m/s), which will allow it to quickly reach targets and minimize the reaction time of air defense systems. In addition, ERAM will be equipped with a navigation system capable of operating in conditions of electronic interference.

Production capacity also plays a key role in this project. It is estimated that 24 months after the contract is awarded, it will be possible to produce more than 1000 ERAM ammunition per year.

The exact timing of the project has not yet been disclosed, however, experts believe that this will happen no earlier than 2026.